Adaptive Overhaul with Two Braze Material and CT Scans

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/117,184 filed Mar. 3, 2023.

This application relates generally to repairing a component utilizing two braze materials.

Modern systems are including more and more complex components. As the components become more complex they become more expensive. There is thus need to repair the components rather than simply replace them.

Defects in a component may be repaired using braze filler material or weld filler. Various processes are known in the art for applying such material to a component. While these known processes have various advantages, there is still room in the art for improvement.

One type of components which are frequently subject to repair are components in a gas turbine engine.

A method of overhaul of a component includes comparing a component to reference data to provide additive manufacturing data. Depositing material on the component using an additive manufacturing device based upon the additive manufacturing data to provide a first object. The depositing of material includes initially depositing a first material having a relatively high melting point, and then depositing a second material which has a melting point lower than the relatively high melting point of the first material. The depositing step further including heating the first and second materials with a laser to sinter the materials to the component. Putting the component into the furnace for a heat cycle. Then determining predicted characteristics of the first object, and comparing the predicted characteristics of the first object to the reference data to provide machining data. Then machining the first object using the machining data.

These and other features will be best understood from the following drawings and specification, the following is a brief description.

20 1 FIG.A A componentis illustrated inas a turbine section static guide vane for a gas turbine engine. It should be understood that the teaching of this disclosure would extend to any number of other components for a gas turbine engine. As examples, blades, combustor liners, compressor section components and any number of housing components may all benefit from the teachings of this disclosure. In fact, the teachings of this disclosure extend to repairing components for applications other than gas turbine engines.

20 22 124 1 FIG.A The componentillustrated inhas two areas that indicate some needed repair. It should be understood that components in a gas turbine engine are subject to extreme conditions. Thus, a defect, such as a crack, a divot, a pitted area, etc. may form. Collectively these are referred to here as a void. Further, it is possible for an area of wearto form.

1 FIG.B 20 27 22 124 As shown in, the componenthas a coatingwhich has been partially removed both in the area of the void, and in the wear area.

2 2 FIGS.A-C 1 FIG.A 1 disclose a system which might be utilized to repair the/B component.

2 FIG.A 24 28 20 30 30 32 34 36 38 30 40 30 40 32 36 Referring to, the additive manufacturing devicemay be configured as a laser material deposition device, and may be called a direct laser braze cladding machine. A component supportsupports a componentto be repaired. A pair of material reservoirsA andB are provided, as is a nozzle, a laserand a material regulation device, all within an internal build chamber. The first material reservoirA stores a quantity of first braze powderA, and second material reservoirB stores a quantity of second braze powderB, to be supplied to the nozzlethrough the material regulation deviceduring select additive manufacturing device operations.

100 36 40 40 36 40 40 32 A controlis programmed to control material regulation deviceto selectively direct the first braze powderA during a first mode, and selectively direct the second braze powderB during a second mode. The material regulation devicemay also be controlled to selectively direct one or more combinations of the first braze powderA and the second braze powderB to the nozzleduring a third mode.

40 40 While the first braze powderA and second braze powderB may each include a mix of braze material and alloy material, in another feature one of the containers could contain braze material and the other could contain contain alloy material. The two can then be mixed to achieve the distinct relative percentages to create the low melt and high melt material as described elsewhere.

32 44 20 48 50 52 36 54 32 48 50 32 54 32 40 56 42 32 40 The nozzleis controlled to deliver a (e.g., annular, conical) streamof the braze powder toward a substrate of component. A tubular inner sidewalland a tubular outer sidewalldefine passage(e.g., an annulus) fluidly coupled (shown schematically) to material flow regulator, and extends to a nozzle orifice. A distal end portion of the nozzleand its inner sidewalland its outer sidewallmay radially taper inwards as the nozzleextends axially toward nozzle orifice. The nozzlemay focus the braze powderto, around or about a target pointon, slightly above or slightly below the substrate surface. Of course nozzlemay be configured to deliver the braze powderthrough an internal bore rather than an annulus. Or through any number of other known methods.

100 34 58 40 32 42 Controlis programmed to control laserto generate a laser beamfor sintering the braze powderdelivered by the nozzleto the substrate. Herein, the term “sintering” may describe a process for coalescing powder particles together into a solid coherent mass by heating without (e.g., partial or complete) liquification of the powder. This is in contrast to, for example, a powder laser welding process where powder is melted to a liquid state (e.g., in a melt pool) by a laser beam and then solidified as a solid mass.

34 58 56 40 58 60 32 48 34 58 32 32 Laseris controlled to direct the laser beamto or about the target pointand heats the braze powderfor sintering. The laser beamdirected through an internal boreof the nozzleformed by the inner sidewall. Of course, the lasermay be configured to direct the laser beamoutside of the nozzleor along another path through the nozzle.

40 20 22 40 20 124 40 40 40 40 1 FIG.A 1 FIG.B The first braze powderA, for example, may be deposited on the componentto repair a first type of substrate defect such as, but not limited to, the void. The second braze powderB, by contrast, may be deposited with the componentto repair a second type of substrate defect such as, but not limited to, the wear regionofand. More particularly, the first braze powderA may be provided (e.g., selected, formulated, etc.) for increased wettability, flowability and/or capillary penetration. The first braze powder may thereby be particularly suited for entering and filling voids. The second braze powderB, on the other hand, may be provided (e.g., selected, formulated, etc.) for improved dimensional repair of the surface due to lower wettability and flowability. The second braze powder may thereby be particularly suited for forming claddings. Of course, it is contemplated the first braze powderA and the second braze powderB may be mixed together in some proportion to provide a combined braze powder with intermediate braze properties.

40 20 The first braze powderA may include a mixture of metal alloy powder (e.g., substrate powder) and braze material powder. The metal alloy powder may be selected to have a relatively high melting point and common or similar material properties as the substrate of component, e.g., an aluminum (Al) superalloy, a nickel (Ni) superalloy, a titanium (Ti) superalloy, etc. The braze material powder, on the other hand, may be selected to have a relatively low melting point, which is lower than the melting point of the metal alloy powder. The braze material powder, for example, may also include a common or similar base element as the substrate and/or the metal alloy powder (e.g., aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni) or titanium (Ti)) without the super alloying elements. The braze material powder may also include boron (B), silicon (Si) and/or other melting point suppressants which may help facilitate melting and diffusion of the metal alloy powder with the substrate. The present disclosure, however, is not limited to the foregoing exemplary braze materials.

40 40 40 40 40 The second braze powderB may include a mixture of the metal alloy powder (e.g., substrate powder) and the braze material powder. A ratio of the metal alloy powder to the braze material powder in the second braze powderB may be greater than a ratio of the metal alloy powder to the braze material powder in the first braze powderA. For example, the second braze powderB may include higher proportions of the metal alloy powder relative to the braze material powder (e.g., 60/40). By contrast, the first braze powderA may include lower proportions of the metal alloy powder relative to the braze material powder (e.g., 30/70). The present disclosure, however, is not limited to the foregoing exemplary braze powder makeups. In other embodiments, one or more or all of the constituent materials in the first braze powder may be different that one or more or all of the constituent materials in the second braze powder.

24 40 42 56 34 40 56 42 2 FIG.A During the braze powder deposition, the additive manufacturing deviceofmay dispose the respective braze powderonto the substrateat or about the target point. The lasermay concurrently sinter this respective braze powderat the target pointtogether and/or to the underlying substrate.

24 62 62 42 As shown, the additive manufacturing devicemay selectively deposit the first braze powder and/or the second braze powder over the substrate such that areas which need repair, and optionally areas adjacent and/or surrounding those areas, are filled with the sintered low melt materialA and/or coated with the sintered high melt braze materialB. In other embodiments, the first braze powder and/or the second braze powder may be deposited over an entirety of the substrateand excess material may later be removed. The braze powders may be deposited as one or more layers.

In a method according to this disclosure, the high melt braze material is initially laid down on the substrate and then the low melt braze material is put outward of the first braze material. In fact, the two materials may well have the same actual melting point. However, the low melt material would have a lower viscosity once melted relative to the high melt material.

2 FIG.B 26 20 62 62 26 26 62 62 62 42 26 Referring to, a furnaceis configured to receive the componentwith the sintered low melt materialA and the sintered high melt braze materialB within furnace. The furnacesubjects the component and the sintered low melt materialA and sintered high melt braze materialB to a heat cycle, for example under vacuum and/or in a partial pressure inert gas (e.g., argon (Ar) gas) environment. During this heat cycle, the sintered braze material(s)may melt and diffusion bond to the substrate. An example of the furnaceis a vacuum furnace.

62 62 The furnace temperature is selected such that the sintered braze materialsA andB melts, wets and flows into defects of the substrate by capillary action. Once the sintered braze material has melted, a relatively lower temperature may be selected and held in the same heat cycle for a duration. This sustained temperature may facilitate diffusion of the melting point suppressant material, and athermal solidification, resulting in a braze diffusion bond of the sintered material to the substrate. The diffusion duration may be between four (4) hours and twelve (12) hours. This elevated temperature, however, is less than a melting point temperature of the substrate material.

62 62 The elevated temperature for the braze melt, for example, may be between 1,500° F. and 2,500° F., and may be between 1,000° F. and 2,400° F. The inert gas environment may have a vacuum pressure range between, for example, 0.5 microns and 0.1 microns. Of course, the foregoing heat cycle parameters may vary depending upon the specific material composition of the substrate and the braze material, dimensions (e.g., thickness) of the sintered braze materialsA andB, etc. The heat cycle parameters may also vary dependent on a substrate temperature as that substrate desirably must be at a temperature to create capillary action.

2 FIG.B 62 42 22 124 62 62 22 62 22 Thus, as shown inthe sintered high melt materialB has been deposited on the substrateincluding covering the voidand the worn area. The sintered low melt materialA is deposited outward of the sintered high melt braze materialB, and at an area aligned with the void. The high melt materialB will fill the void.

40 62 40 62 The claims recite these steps in order. Thus, the first braze powderA is used to create the second, or low melt braze materialA. The second braze powderB creates the first, or high melt braze materialB.

2 FIG.C 2 FIG.C 62 62 62 62 schematically illustrates a feature of the materialsA andB. As mentioned above they have been sintered when placed. As shown in, the materialB andA are illustrated as small circles. This is to illustrate that it is not a continuous material, but rather is a material which has been sintered to adhere to the surfaces.

2 FIG.D 20 62 62 22 62 22 62 shows a subsequent step as the furnace begins to heat the component. Since the materialA has the lower viscosity it will move around the materialB, and fill the void. By depositing the materials in this order, the chance of there being pooling or undesirable flow characteristics may be reduced compared to a situation wherein the materialA is initially deposited into the voidwith the materialB then placed outwardly.

62 62 22 In fact, there may be a mix of the two materialsA andB within the void.

Further, while the use of the low melt material and high melt material is specifically disclosed to fill the void with the low melt material, the two could also be used just to build up a surface. There would be desirable characteristics to having the low melt material pass around the high melt material even when building up a surface.

2 FIG.E 62 62 22 42 124 As shown in, after the heating has finished the materialsA andB are in their respective positions filling the voidand providing a cladding over the substrateincluding the worn area.

62 22 72 42 124 Following the heat cycle low melt materialA, may partially or completely fill the void. The high melt materialB may provide a cladding over the substrateto restore a dimensional parameter of and/or reinforce the wear regionand/or other regions.

3 FIG. 99 100 24 102 20 103 20 104 105 20 72 74 20 shows an overall systemhaving a controllercontrolling the additive manufacturing device, and a machining device, as will be explained below. The componentmay be scanned by scanning device, which may be a computed tomography scan (CT), as known. As known, a CT scan takes a series of x-ray images taken from different angles around component. Thus, an x-ray machineis shown schematically with a guidefor allowing the x-ray machine to move to different angles relative to the component. Processing devicemay operate as known to build the images. A memorymay be associated with historic manufacturing device for the component.

The component may alternatively move relative to the x-ray machine. The scanning device may be a flat-panel volumetric CT or conventional multidetector CT scanner. The flat-panel detector has wide z-axis coverage that enables imagine of entire object in one axial acquisition.

103 The scanning devicemay be a structured white light scanning device with a wavelength of between 400 and 700 NM or a structured blue light scanning device with a wavelength of between 450 and 495 NM.

103 72 Distortions in the pattern of light against the exterior of the component can be identified. The scanning devicein conjunction with processing device, can map the component based upon distortions in the pattern of light.

100 72 74 72 74 74 74 Controllermay be implemented with a combination of hardware and software. The hardware may include at least the processing deviceand the memory. The processing devicemay include single-core and/or multi-core processors. The memoryis configured to store software or execution by the processing device. The software execution may control and/or facilitate performance of the several operations described in this application. The memorymay be a non-transitory computer readable medium. As an example, the memorycan be configured to include a volatile memory and/or a non-volatile memory.

100 20 22 124 The scanning device, in combination with a controller, is thus able to identify a surface geometry of the component, and to map spatial coordinates for at least a portion (or the entirety) of the component. Such mapping would identify dimensions and location of features such as the void, and the wear area.

100 20 100 20 The scanned data may be in the form of a computer aided design model file, such as a stereolithography model file. Controllermay compare the mapped substrate characteristics from the scanned data with respective characteristics from reference data. The reference data may be data input from an OEM design specification for the component. In other words, the controllermay compare the mapped characteristics from the scan of the current componentbeing worked on to corresponding characteristics of the design specification.

100 100 20 The controllermay generate a solid model of the scan data to compare to a solid model of a design space component. The controllerthereby evaluates the current state and condition of the componentand determines what additive operations need to be performed. Among the determined operations could be the amount of additive manufacturing materials to be deposited, which type, where to deposit the additive manufacturing materials, paths to follow for depositing of the additive manufacturing materials, all to put the component back to being closer to the design space.

4 FIG. 7 7 FIGS.A-D A flowchart of a method according to this disclosure is illustrated in. The flowchart should be studied in combination with.

5 FIG. 1 FIG.B 20 22 124 27 402 As shown in, the componentto be repaired is as shown in. There is a voidand a worn area. There is residual coating. At stepthis component is provided for repair.

404 101 27 5 FIG. At stepthe component is then prepared for additive manufacturing repair. Any number of steps may be performed as known to prepare the component. One such step is shown inwith a toolremoving the residual coating. Other preparation steps may also be taken.

406 20 103 104 105 6 FIG. Then, at step, the componentis scanned.shows the scanning devicewith x-ray machinemovable about the surface of the component in guide.

The scanned data may be aligned with reference data such as a design specification of the component or an OEM model. Because the vane may have shifted during an engine heat cycle, the individual surface of the model vanes are broken apart and aligned to the substrate model from the scan. This creates a unique geometry to correct the performance of the part without returning the part to the original casting. This unique geometry represents a desired component file. Steps may further include importing pre-braze data, reverse engineered surfacing and subsequent toolpath generation. The substrate model is essentially what the part to be repaired is now.

408 100 As step, the data from the scan is provided to the controller, and the additive manufacturing tool path is determined based upon the scan. The desired component file is what is essentially compared to the substrate file.

7 FIG.A 410 62 42 123 125 As shown in, step, the materialB is initially placed on the substrate. There is an areawhich desirably remains, and extra materialwhich may be removed in a subsequent step.

7 FIG.B 62 62 As shown in, the materialA is now deposited outwardly of the materialB.

20 26 411 7 FIG. The componentis then placed in thefurnaceand heating, as described above, occurs at step.

7 FIG.D 100 412 Then, as shown in, the CT scan occurs again, and the CT scan is utilized by the controllerto reach a desired machining path as in step. In one embodiment the second scanned data could be compared to the reference data, such as information about the component as manufactured.

412 125 A tool path is determined at stepfor removing the materialsuch that repaired component will approach its original state.

416 102 418 73 20 8 FIG. 9 FIG. Then, at stepand as shown in, a toolmay remove the additional material as shown. Finally, at stepand, an outer coatingcould be added to the repaired component.

101 102 Examples of the machining toolsandmay be any number of known material removable tools controlled to be movable about any number of axes.

The reference data as used with the first and second scans may be the same reference data or may include two distinct files.

The reference data used to develop the AM path and the machining path may be the same file or could include two distinct files. While specific reference sets are mentioned, other reference data sets can be used.

20 410 24 62 62 32 26 411 416 In a featured embodiment, a method of overhaul of a componentincludes comparing a component to reference data to provide additive manufacturing data. Depositing materialon the component using an additive manufacturing devicebased upon the additive manufacturing data to provide a first object. The depositing of material includes initially depositing a first materialB having a relatively high melting point, and then depositing a second materialA which has a melting point lower than the relatively high melting point of the first material. The depositing step further including heating the first and second materials with a laserto sinter the materials to the component. Putting the component into the furnacefor a heat cycle. Then determining predicted characteristics of the first object, and comparing the predicted characteristics of the first object to the reference data to provide machining data. Then machiningthe first object using the machining data.

In another embodiment according to the previous embodiment, step a) includes scanning the component.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the step a) scanning uses computed tomography.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, step c) includes scanning the component again utilizing computed tomography to provide second scan data.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the reference data includes data from a design specification for the component.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the second material fills a void in the component.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the first material forms a cladding over a substrate of the component.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the first material forms a cladding over a substrate of the component.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, further includes removing a residual coating from the component to expose a surface prior to step c).

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the machining of step f) removes some of the material deposited during step c).

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the component is from a gas turbine engine.

32 103 412 102 125 In another featured embodiment, a method of overhaul of a component including a) scanning a component using computed tomography to provide first scanned data, b) comparing the first scanned data to reference data to provide additive manufacturing data, c) depositing material on the component using an additive manufacturing device based upon the additive manufacturing data to provide a first object, the depositing of material includes initially depositing a first material having a relatively high melting point, and then depositing a second material which has a melting point lower than the relatively high melting point of the first material, with the depositing step further including heating the first and second materials with a laserto sinter the materials to the component, then putting the component into a furnace for a heat cycle, d) determining predicted characteristics of the first object wherein including scanning/the first object utilizing computed tomography to provide second scan data, e) comparing the predicted characteristics of the first object to the reference data to provide machining data and f) machiningthe first object using the machining data. The machining of step f) removes some of the materialdeposited during step c).

22 In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the second material fills a voidin the component.

123 In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the first material forms a claddingover a worn surface on the component.

123 124 In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the first material forms a claddingover a worn surfaceon the component.

125 In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the machining of step f) removes some of the materialdeposited during step c).

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the component is from a gas turbine engine.

99 103 24 102 100 62 62 In another featured embodiment, a systemfor overhauling a component including a scanning deviceconfigured to scan a component using computed tomography and provide scanned data indicative of one or more characteristics of the component. An additive manufacturing deviceis configured to deposit material on the component to provide a first object. The additive manufacturing device is controlled by additive manufacturing data. A machining deviceis configured to remove material from the first object based upon machining data. A controlleris programmed to compare a first scanned data from the scanning device with reference data to provide the additive manufacturing data. The controller is further programmed to compare a second scanned data from the scanning device with the first object to provide second scanned data. The second scanned data is utilized to develop the machining data. The controller is further programmed to initially deposit a first materialB having a relatively high melt point onto the component, and then subsequently deposit a second materialA having a relatively lower melting point, lower than the relatively high melting point of the first material onto the component.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the component is from a gas turbine engine.

In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the component is a static vane.

Although embodiments have been disclosed, a worker of skill in this art would recognize that modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content.